Calibrachoa plant name ‘USCALI99’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘USCALI99’, characterized by its semi-upright to cascading plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; relatively large purple-colored flowers with prominent dark purple-colored venation; good weather tolerance; and resistance to  Thielaviopsis .

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘USCALI99’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp., and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘USCALI99’.

The new Calibrachoa is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hikone, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the program is to create new heat-tolerant and disease-resistant Calibrachoa cultivars with semi-upright plant habit and attractive flower colors.

The new Calibrachoa originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on Apr. 15, 2000 of a proprietary seedling selection of Calibrachoa identified as code number C2903, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary seedling selection of Calibrachoa identified as code number K-1, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa was selected by the Inventor on Jun. 24, 2001 in a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany since Jun. 25, 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar USCALI99 have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘USCALI99’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘USCALI99’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa:

-   -   1. Semi-upright to cascading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Relatively large purple-colored flowers with prominent dark         purple-colored venation.     -   5. Good weather tolerance; tolerant to rain and low and high         temperatures.     -   6. Resistant to Thielaviopsis.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection primarily in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have violet blue-colored flowers. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection primarily in growth habit as plants of the male parent selection are more creeping than plants of the new Calibrachoa.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the cultivars Million Bells Trailing Blue, not patented, and Colorburst Blue, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new Calibrachoa had a more upright plant habit and larger flowers than plants of the cultivars Million Bells Trailing Blue and Colorburst Blue.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Calibrachoa.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers and leaves of ‘USCALI99’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘USCALI99’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants grown in 15-cm containers were used for the aforementioned photographs and following description. Plants were about two months from planting rooted cuttings. Plants were grown under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions during the summer in Bonsall, Calif. in an outdoor nursery. During the production period, day temperatures ranged from 21° C. to 35° C. and night temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 18° C.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. cultivar USCALI99. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number C2903, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number K-1, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—Summer: About three             weeks at 20° C. Winter: About four weeks at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, freely-branching; whitish in color. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Annual flowering plant; initially upright to             semi-upright, eventually cascading; uniformly mounded             appearance.         -   Usage.—Appropriate for hanging baskets, window boxes and             patio containers.         -   Plant height (from soil level to top of plant plane).—About             12 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 62 cm.         -   Growth rate.—Moderate to rapid growth rate; vigorous.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, about ten primary             branches per plant each with multiple secondary branches;             pinching is typically not required.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 34 cm. Diameter:             About 4 mm. Internode length: About 2 cm. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: 144B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate until flowering,             then opposite; simple. Length: About 3.2 cm. Width: About             1.3 cm. Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly             pubescent and rough. Venation pattern: Pinnate; arcuate.             Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: 146A. Developing             foliage, lower surface: 146B. Fully expanded foliage, upper             surface: 147A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B.             Venation, upper surface: 146B. Venation, lower surface:             147C. Petiole: Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             surface: 144B. Color, lower surface: 147C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Flowers face upright or outward;             single, relatively large, axillary; salverform. Flowers             persistent. Freely flowering habit, about 30 flowers and             flower buds per lateral stem. Flowers not fragrant. Flowers             face upright and bending outwardly.         -   Natural flowering season.—April through September in             Southern California; flowering continuous during this             period.         -   Time to flower.—Early flowering; plants begin flowering             about four to six weeks after planting.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About seven to ten days.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 2.8 cm. Depth: About 3 cm. Tube             length: About 2.2 cm. Flower throat diameter: About 6 mm by             8 mm. Flower tube diameter: About 3 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Elongated oblong. Color: Slightly more gray than 75C.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five             petals, fused into flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:             About 1.2 cm. Petal width: About 1.2 cm. Petal shape:             Roughly obovate. Petal apex: Nearly round with a very             shallow central point. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture,             upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Petal texture,             lower surface: Slightly pubescent. Throat texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent. Color: Petal, when             opening, upper surface: 77A; towards the throat, 70A. Petal,             when opening, lower surface: 75B. Petal, opened flower,             upper surface: Slightly brighter than 79B; towards the             throat, 79A; color becoming closer to 72B and towards the             throat, 72A, with development; venation, 83A. Petal, opened             flower, lower surface: 77A; venation, 83B. Flower throat             (inside): 15C; venation, 79C. Flower tube (outside): 18C;             venation, 79A.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals,             fused at base; star-shaped. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width:             About 3 mm. Shape: Narrowly lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color,             upper surface: 146A. Color, lower surface: 146B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Width: About 1 mm.             Strength: Strong. Angle: About 45° to 60° from the stem.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: 146C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower.             Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color:             7A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 7A. Pistils:             Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 1.6 cm.             Stigma shape: Oval. Stigma color: 144B. Style length: About             1.2 cm. Style color: 145C. Ovary color: 144D.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been     noted to be resistant to Thielaviopsis. Plants of the new     Calibrachoa have not been noted to be resistant to other pathogens     and pests common to Calibrachoas. -   Weather/temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa are     tolerant to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate     temperatures from 1° C. to 41° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant named ‘USCALI99’, as illustrated and described. 